Reading to Visit the Emirates in a Defining Moment for the Gunners

by Joel Martin

We have not won in our last 4 games. This is the last chance to gain some confidence before Wednesday, when PSV visits for the biggest game ever at the Emirates yet. We are still missing many key players, and Reading is in great form lately. This is a dangerous, dangerous game.

If we lose to Reading, we’ll be going into the most important game of the year in our worst form since 2002—the last time we lost three in a row. We absolutely need to win, preferably big, in a rout.

Diaby, Djourou, and Cesc will return to the dismal side that played midweek, so I expect Djourou to slot in at right back now that Eboue is serving his suspension. I expect Diaby to start on the bench, because he is not yet fully fit. Cesc should pair up with either Denilson or Gilberto, I almost expect Wenger to give Denilson another chance to get his confidence back up after his performance on Wednesday. He was terrible in the replay, and needs to get that game out of his game.

Other than that I expect Walcott to start, whether it is as a striker or a winger is beyond me. Baptista and Aliadiere, our Carling Cup duo, sure haven’t looked lethal at all in their most recent outings. I hope Walcott gets a chance up front if only to shake things up a bit. If only we had Bendtner to do that too…

The Reading team we thrashed 4-0 early in the year is very different team than the one we’ll play tomorrow. These guys have played well against ManU and damn near beaten them. They’ve played well against Chelsea and damn near beaten them too. These guys are confident and scrappy. They give 110% every game and it has shown this year. Sidwell, Doyle, Lita, and their right back Nicky Shorey have all been great, great players for them. We will need some luck to get the result we need.

In all, we might need the home fans at the Emirates to get as pumped for today’s game as Wednesday’s game. The boys need a little bit of momentum, a little confidence to propel us into the second leg against PSV, or else the season could be over, for all intensive purposes, on March 7.